The weekend of 8^th – 10^th November last year (2024) saw TOP staff from across South Wales, partnering with the Summit Centre and Rock UK Merthyr, with sponsorship from Manzoku Climbing and Mountaineering, to offer the Rock4All Weekend.

The aim of this weekend, the first weekend of climbing events open to all in South Wales, was to attract people of all ages and abilities to the activity and to offer them the opportunity to experience the thrill of rock-climbing. The weekend was cram-packed with something for everyone. Local clubs attended to share information on the activities they had on offer which might be of interest to the attendees, and there was a free Adventure Film Evening with a broad range of stories on view.

The event opened with Friday evening’s U.V. Climbing Party. Advertised as “The Best Night of the Year!”, it certainly didn’t disappoint. Climbers went up the wall under UV lights, as the bright coloured climbing holds glowed neon, with challenges and activities to entertain everyone.

Our young people today are more than used to the world of computer graphics, screens, gameplay and bright lights. The beauty of U.V. Indoor Climbing is that it combines climbing with elements which are more recognisable to the younger generation and provides a means by which to introduce them to the wider sport. But there’s no age limit for U.V. climbing, fun is fun at any age!

Saturday was competition time, with a range of events, including beginner, child, adult lead climbers and an assisted hoist speed climbing event. The Outdoor Partnership had secured funding from Amser / Short Breaks Wales for two groups of young carers to join in the U.V. Climbing Party. Having enjoyed it so much, some returned for Saturday’s competitions, with one boy winning his age group’s climbing competition and his brothers gaining 2^nd and 3^rd prizes. Not only that, the boys have also been attending climbing sessions ever since. Now that is success.

The weekend was attended by Climbing 4 All instructors as well as the members of the regular Inclusive monthly climbing club which attends Summit, ensuring there was plenty of expertise on-hand to ensure the weekend went smoothly. There were also adapted harnesses available to ensure the activities on offer were as inclusive as possible.

The weekend’s events came to a close on the Sunday. The Sunday session had included a range of training courses and workshops for volunteers, instructors and coaches. This included a course covering wellbeing, and a course for instructing disabled people.  There was also the Indoor Climbing Assistant Training and Assessment Course, which was suitable for carers, assistant instructors, parents and teachers of climbers.

It was a wonderful weekend in celebration of climbing. We taught, learned, chatted, listened, enjoyed and, of course……we climbed!